Leeds must reignite summer transfer interest in Rangers’ Ryan Kent

3 minute read 24/3/2021 | 11:30am

Leeds United must reignite their pursuit of Rangers winger Ryan Kent in this upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

It was confirmed last summer by Gers boss Steven Gerrard that the Premier League side had a bid rejected by the Ibrox outfit, and that Leeds’ initial bid was nowhere near their valuation.

While a deal failed to materialise before the end of the transfer deadline, former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has now suggested that, with Rangers’ title success this season, Leeds may be back in for the £20,000-a-week ace this time around.

Should Leeds go back in for Ryan Kent?

Yes!

No!

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips said: “I think there will be a few teams sniffing around a few of the Rangers players. It’s just natural. How many times have we seen it over the years? If you go up there and do well then your next move is to the Premier League.

“Ryan Kent, Leeds have obviously been linked with him and made moves for him before. He’s a Scottish champion now so why would Leeds not look at it again? He’s certainly a player that a lot of Premier League teams will be looking at. The big job for Stevie G is to convince him to stay and go again.”

Imagine him and Raphinha

One of the shining lights of Leeds’ return to the Premier League has been Raphinha, with the Brazilian lighting up Elland Road with a series of eye-catching displays in his debut campaign in English football – he’s already managed six goals and five assists in the top flight alone.

The winger has been a real livewire down the flank, but one thing Marcelo Bielsa could surely do with is having someone similarly as explosive and exciting on the opposite wing, especially with question marks over the form of Helder Costa and Jack Harrison.

In Kent, Leeds could find exactly that.

Neil Dewsnip, his former coach at England under-17 level, said: “What he was, is what he still is. Very attack-minded, aggressive with the ball running at people, very effective cutting in onto his right foot. Although he was a late developer physically, he had great balance and co-ordination to go past players, so those skills were already embedded from an early age. What he’s done is add a bit of power to that.

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“He seems to relish the atmosphere, so I think he’s in the bracket of players who think ‘the bigger the better’. Ryan is very exciting so, when he’s good he’s devastatingly good. But that’s a trait of a lot of wide players. The challenge is to be consistent and I’m sure that’s what Steven and his staff will be working to achieve.”

With a truly impressive total of 11 goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season for the Gers, Kent has been a real success for Gerrard’s men as they wrestled the league title away from Celtic.

If Leeds are looking for someone who like Raphinha, is as exciting as they come but also has a real end product to his game, then they should look no further than going after Kent once again this summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds could find a Pablo Hernandez replacement in this ace…